High-precision stepped microstructure bodies

Abstract

The present invention concerns stepped mould inserts, a method of producing the same and high-precision stepped microstructure bodies moulded therewith. The present stepped mould inserts and method of producing the same are more simple than previous methods. The lithographically produced regions of a patterned resist layer, which are exposed by development on a flat plate, are filled with metal. The layer may be mechanically removed, down to a predetermined thickness. After the residues of the resist have been dissolved out, if necessary or desired, this operation is repeated from one to several times. The regions removed from the resist layer are filled with metal, covered and separated from the resist layer, thus providing a multistep metallic mould insert. High-precision microstructure bodies having a multistep structure are produced with the present stepped mould insert.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. A stepped microstructure body having lateral and vertical precision in the submicrometer region, produced by moulding a material with the stepped mould prepared by the method consisting essentially of the steps: (A) applying a first resist layer to a flat and plane-parallel baseplate,   (B) irradiating the first resist layer through a first patterned mask to produce one or more readily soluble regions and one or more sparingly soluble regions in said first resist layer,   (C) dissolving or removing the readily soluble regions of said first resist layer,   (D) depositing a first metal in the regions of the first resist layer corresponding to the readily soluble regions to a height greater than a third thickness, followed by mechanically removing a first thickness of said first metal and a second thickness of said first resist layer until said first metal and said first resist layer have said third thickness which is less than said original height of said first resist layer and less than the original height of said first metal to produce one or more steps,   (E) dissolving or removing the sparingly soluble regions of the first resist layer,   (F) applying a final resist layer over all of said steps,   (G) irradiating the final resist layer through an aligned final mask to produce one or more readily soluble regions and one or more sparingly soluble regions in said final resist layer,   (H) dissolving the readily soluble regions of the final resist layer,   (I) depositing a second metal in the regions of the final resist layer corresponding to the readily soluble regions and covering all of said regions with a layer of said second metal of up to several millimeters in thickness without interruption of the deposition step, and   (J) removing the baseplate and the remaining regions of the final resist layer, thus obtaining the stepped mould insert the structure of which being complementary to the structure of the stepped microstructure body manufactured by use of said stepped mould insert,   wherein said stepped microstructure body: (i) contains differently moulded microstructures having different or equal height,   (ii) has at least one step in a one-piece body, and   (iii) has lateral dimensions which change virtually abruptly, relative to the overall height of the microstructure body.     
     
     
       2. The stepped microstructure body of claim 1, wherein said material is plastic, ceramic or sintered, and said moulding comprises: (A) mechanically moulding said stepped microstructure body,   (B) removing said microstructure body from said mould insert, and   (C) moulding a second stepped microstructure body with said mould insert.   
     
     
       3. The stepped microstructure body of claim 1, wherein said material is metal, and said moulding comprises: (A) electrodepositing or electrolessly depositing a metal to form said stepped microstructure body, and   (B) de-moulding said mould insert to produce a metallic microstructure body.   
     
     
       4. The stepped microstructure body of claim 1, wherein said material is plastic, ceramic, sintered or metal, and said moulding comprises: (A) moulding a complementary structure to said stepped mould insert,   (B) forming a stepped microstructure body in said complementary structure, and   (C) de-moulding or dissolving said complementary structure to produce said microstructure body.   
     
     
       5. The stepped microstructure body of claim 4, wherein said forming step (B) comprises electrodepositing, electroless depositing, or a technique known in powder technology. 
     
     
       6. The stepped microstructure of claim 1, wherein said material is ceramic or sintered, and said moulding comprises: (A) mechanically moulding said stepped microstructure body,   (B) removing said microstructure body from said mould insert, and   (C) moulding a second stepped microstructure body with said mould insert.   
     
     
       7. The stepped microstructure body of claim 1, wherein said material is ceramic, sintered or metal, and said moulding comprises: (A) moulding a complementary structure to said stepped mould insert,   (B) forming a stepped microstructure body in said complementary structure, and   (C) do-moulding or dissolving said complementary structure to produce said microstructure body.